Opchanacanough

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'John Smith taking the King of Pamunkey prisoner', a fanciful image of Opechancanough from Smith's General History of Virginia (1624). The image of Opechancanough is in fact based on a 1585 painting of another native warrior by John White[1]

Opechancanough or Opchanacanough (1554?-1644) was a chief of the Powhatan Confederacy of what is now Virginia in the United States. His name meant "He whose Soul is White" in the Algonquin language.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Powhatan warrior

Opechancanough was a much-feared warrior and charismatic leader of the Powhatans at the time of the English settlement at Jamestown which was established in 1607. Known to be strongly opposed to the European settlers, in 1608, he captured John Smith of Jamestown along the Chickahominy River and brought him before his brother, perhaps half-brother, Wahunsonacock(who was more commonly known as Chief Powhatan for the tribe he led) at Werowocomoco. This is when the famous incident with Pocahontas intervening on Smith's behalf is thought to have occurred.

A later marriage of Pocahontas and colonist John Rolfe in 1614 brought a period of peace, which ended not long after the death of Wahunsonacock in 1618. A short time later, Opechancanough became chief.

[edit] Powhatan chief

Beginning with the Indian massacre of 1622, Chief Opechancanough gave up on diplomacy with the English settlers of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia and tried to force them to abandon the region both then and again in 1644. Governor of Virginia William Berkeley's forces captured Opechancanough, thought to be between 90 and 100 years old. While a prisoner, Opechancanough was killed by a soldier (shot in the back) assigned to guard him. He was succeeded as Weroance by Nectowance and then by Totopotomoi and later by his daughter Cockacoeske.

[edit] Connection with 'Don Luis'

Main article: Don Luis

It is speculated by some historians,^{[citation needed]} but not known with certainty, that Opechancanough was the same Native American youth who is known to have been transported from Virginia to Spain in the 16th century at the age of 17 and educated. Rechristened as "Don Luis", the young man returned to his homeland in 1570, where Jesuit priests established their ill-fated Ajacan Mission in September of 1571. However, Don Luis is believed to have returned to life with the Powhatan Confederacy, and turned against the Europeans. The mission failed during the winter of 1571 when the Jesuits were killed by the Native Americans, ending Spanish efforts to colonize the area. There is also other speculation that Don Luis may have become the father of both chiefs Wahunsunacock and Opechancanough.

[edit] Opechancanough in fiction

Opechancanough appears in the 2005 film The New World, in which he is played by Wes Studi. In the film, he is conflated with Tomocomo, a priest who accompanied Pocahontas to London.

[edit] See also

• History of Virginia

[edit] External links

• The Anglo-Powhatan Wars

[edit] References

• David A. Price, Love and Hate in Jamestown: John Smith, Pocahontas, and the Start of A New Nation, Alfred A. Knopf, 2003
• "Middle Peninsula Historic Marker "Cockacoeske"
• "The Powhatan Indians of Virginia: Their Traditional Culture. Rountree, Helen C., University of Oklahoma Press, 1989.
• "Cockacoeske, Queen of Pamunkey: Diplomat and Suzeraine." W. Martha W. McCartney.
• "Powhatan's Mantle: Indians in the Colonial Southeast by Peter H. Wood.
• "Unpublished Historical Research" By Richard B. Autry.
• "Unpublished Genealogical Research" By Richard B. Autry.
• Rountree, Helen C. Powhatan Foreign Relations: 1500-1722 Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press. 1993.
• Taylor, Alan. American Colonies New York: Viking, 2001.
• Jamestown 2007